RFHS Vice Principal Kelsie Goodman to resign

After four years as vice principal, Keslie Goodman will leave Roaring Fork High School at the end of the school year to take a leadership position in Iowa, where her family lives.

It’s the right decision, she told The Sun on Feb. 20, but not an easy one.

“I was never going to feel like I was done at Roaring Fork,” she said. “I love it here so much.”

Goodman came to Colorado six years ago to teach Spanish for Spanish speakers at Basalt and then Roaring Fork. The job itself appealed, as did the opportunity to work in Colorado. In her role as vice principal, she is beloved by the students and community, with several Daniels and Boettcher scholars citing her among their reasons for success.

She was also at the center of a heated debate last year when Superintendent Rob Stein selected Brett Stringer over Goodman in a search for a new principal. At the time, Stein characterized it as anything but lack of confidence in Goodman, and he reiterated her value to the school following the latest announcement.

“We are all going to miss Kelsie for her kindness, hard work, and dedication to her students and colleagues,” he said. “On behalf of the Roaring Fork Schools, I want to thank her for her years of service and congratulate her on her new leadership opportunity in her home state of Iowa. No matter how far she goes, she will always be a Roaring Fork Ram and a member of our crew.”

Stringer, for his part, said he “appreciated our short time as a leadership team and look forward to building on what she built.”

“Over the past four years, the story of Roaring Fork High School has been centered on building a strong culture, where students feel valued​ and trusted,” he said. “Kelsie’s leadership and energy is a huge part of that story.”

Goodman’s position will be posted in the near future, and Roaring Fork School District plans to involve staff and community members in the hiring process.